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com 1
CONTENTS

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE 4

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING 5

CURRENT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE 5

CAPABILITY TO LEARN 6

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING 7

TACTICS FOR BUILDING KNOWLEDGE 8

EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS 8

JOB AIDS 10

ONE-ON-ONE COACHING 10

USER GROUPS AND FORUMS 11

FINAL THOUGHTS 11

NEXT STEPS 12
 A WARENESS D ESIRE K NOWLEDGE A BILITY R EINFORCEMENT ®

The knowledge that lives within individuals impacted by change enables change success.

Understanding how to change and how to operate in the future state is an essential precursor

to adopting new processes, systems and job roles. When a person has the awareness of the

need for change and the desire to support a change, knowledge is the next building block in

the Prosci® ADKAR ® Model.

The five parts of the Prosci ADKAR Model show the milestones an individual must achieve for

a change to be successful - awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement.

Knowledge is the third milestone. Knowledge represents the information, training and

education necessary to know how to change. Knowledge includes:

• the behaviors and skills

• the processes, tools and systems

Prosci and ADKAR are trademarks of Prosci, Inc., registered in the US and other countries
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• the roles and responsibilities

that each impacted individual needs to implement a change.

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE

Historically, training is the most commonly used vehicle for building knowledge. Many

organizations have a long and rich history with delivering training. Some even have an entire

department dedicated to training. However, training is not the only way to develop knowledge.

The two are not fully synonymous. Informal interactions with colleagues as well as other

formal vehicles like self-paced reference

materials, online resources, super-user

support and job aids all play their part in

ongoing knowledge-building.

From a change management perspective,

there are two aspects of knowledge to

consider when assessing training needs

and designing training programs to build

knowledge:

• Knowledge on how to change: What to do during the transition - this requires training

and education on the skills and behaviors needed to support the change

• Knowledge on how to perform effectively in the future state: Detailed information

on the new roles and responsibilities associated with the change, as well as training and

education on how to use new processes, systems and tools

Both categories of knowledge have to be addressed in an effective change management plan.

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In practice, though, they are frequently integrated and addressed with a single plan.

Knowledge-building will only be effective

when an individual has awareness of the

need for change and desire to participate

in the change. Any training activities that

attempt to build knowledge before these

first two milestones have been achieved will

be ineffective. Skipping to knowledge before

awareness has been built or the individual

has chosen to engage in the change process

has many implications for a project’s

success. If employees are not ready to learn or are only participating in training because their

supervisor required their attendance, they will not connect and retain the learning.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING

Three factors impact the successful achievement of the knowledge element of the Prosci

ADKAR Model.

CURRENT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE

Depending on the starting point, understanding how to change may be a simple process or

may require a huge shift in thinking. For some changes, an individual may already have the

required knowledge from past education or work experience. In other cases, there may be a

large gap between their current knowledge level and the desired knowledge level associated

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with operating successfully in the future

state. The size of the knowledge gap will

directly impact the probability of success for

those individuals.

For individuals where the knowledge gap

is considerable, both the individual and

the organization will need to plan for

the significant time and effort needed to

develop the required knowledge. From time

to time, some employees are never able to gain the necessary knowledge to succeed at the

transformation and are faced with the decision to move on.

CAPABILITY TO LEARN

In addition to the knowledge gap that may exist, each of us has a different capacity to learn.

While some people are quick to learn new processes and tools, others may have difficulty

learning technical skills or absorbing new information. Just as learning differences occur in

children or students, the same can be seen in adults during the knowledge-building process.

Adult learning is a complex area and is an essential foundation for developing knowledge in

the workplace. Adults want to know why the topics being taught are important and relevant

to them. If they cannot connect the knowledge offered during training to an immediate

problem, then both attention and retention of knowledge will suffer. Since knowledge comes

after awareness and desire, measures to establish the “why” are hopefully already in place. To

ensure this connection is made, start each learning event with a recap of why the change is

happening.

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 The format of knowledge-transfer

activities influences how much information

employees retain. Learners remember only

a fraction of what they cover in training.

The highest retention in adults results from

hands-on application of learning to a real

and immediate problem. In many cases,

project teams and change leaders can

benefit from collaborating with professional

training developers and instructors to

support learning initiatives. Well-designed trainings will include both knowledge-transfer and

the practice needed to apply this new knowledge to real situations.

Even if an individual has the capability to learn, they may not have the current capacity to take

on the mental process of learning new skills. Often during times of change, the people who

need to participate in training have so much going on that they either cannot commit the time

to training and practicing or they are unable to focus during the learning events.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The availability of resources varies greatly

from one organization to the next. Some

organizations have extensive resources

and funding to deliver training while other

companies struggle to provide structured

education to support a change. Resource

constraints could include the availability

of subject matter experts, instructors,

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classroom facilities, books and materials, equipment and systems for student use, and funding to

support the overall training program.

For some desired changes, the specific knowledge may not be immediately accessible or may

not even exist yet at the time it is ideally needed. Inadequate resources and a lack of access to

the necessary information will negatively impact knowledge-building.

TACTICS FOR BUILDING KNOWLEDGE

The changes your organization is facing are unique. Each change usually requires its own

specific combination of different learning tactics to truly achieve knowledge in impacted

individuals. The following four tactics have emerged from our research as the most impactful

during times of change and should be combined as needed depending on the unique details of

the change at hand.

EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Properly designed and professionally

delivered formal training programs are an

essential channel for building knowledge

in most changes. Since the highest form of

retention results from hands-on application

of learning to an immediate problem,

training programs should include hands-on

activities and demonstrations with less focus

on theory, reading or lectures.

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Video programs, webinars and other multimedia programs are great ways to convey concepts

and develop knowledge; however, retention around tools and processes will be highest when

these tools are discussed and applied during the learning program.

Effective training programs give consideration to the precise knowledge required for a

group or individual to operate successfully in the future state. Completing an assessment of

knowledge gaps between the current state and the desired future state provides direct input

into how to tailor and configure the most impactful training content. A gap analysis reveals

which knowledge, skills and behaviors are missing and need to be built. A useful technique for

assessing the knowledge gap is to work with HR to write new job descriptions for employees,

detailing the knowledge and skills needed to perform the role, both during the transition and

in the future state.

It is also important to understand the knowledge required during the transition process.

Changes do not happen immediately. Many times, old processes and systems may need to be

used concurrently with the new processes and systems. Interim processes and beta versions

of tools may have different steps than the

final end state. Training programs should

therefore address both how to operate in

the future state and how to transition to a

new way of doing work.

One last consideration is the timing of

training and knowledge-building activities.

Retention of learning declines rapidly over

time, especially if it is not used or applied

right away. On the other hand, employees impacted by change also need time to develop some

measure of ability (the next element of the Prosci ADKAR Model) before the go-live of the

change, too. Training needs to be timed carefully:

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• Training too far away from the go-live may mean knowledge goes unused and is lost

• Training too close to the change may not give sufficient time to practice and develop basic

proficiency before employees are expected to demonstrate new skills in their daily work

Ideally, training will occur as close to go-live as possible to still allow for practice and

proficiency-building before implementation.

JOB AIDS

Many types of knowledge content go beyond what people can easily remember. Job aids and

reference guides that serve as knowledge-building resources beyond formal training include

checklists and templates, online help files and scripts. They may be in the form of help or

troubleshooting functions integrated into system software, internal wikis, or quick-reference

cards. Job aids enable employees to reinforce learning on the job and follow more complex

procedures in real time. They are most effective when they are available on-demand and just-

in-time.

ONE-ON-ONE COACHING

Even with the most effective training programs, many employees will need one-on-one

coaching. Individuals learn in different ways and at different paces. With one-on-one coaching,

a trainer can provide customized education based on the unique obstacles faced by each

individual. In some cases the barrier points may not even be related to the subject content but

are rather a unique personal obstacle.

If there is a long period of time between employees taking the training course and

implementing the change, one-on-one coaching and on-the-job instruction will provide real

time reinforcement of knowledge at the time of implementation. As employees engage in

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 day-to-day work, gaps will also emerge that

were not covered in the training; one-on-one

coaching ensures that an expert is on hand to

answer any questions and fill in the gaps.

Coaching is often provided by the employee’s

direct supervisor or a subject matter expert.

For one-on-one coaching to be a success,

supervisors or designated mentors must be

equipped in this capacity. Take time to ensure the coaches have built their own expertise in

the technical subject matter and in effective coaching tactics.

USER GROUPS AND FORUMS

Learning from peers can be very powerful as employees readily relate to the experiences

and challenges of their fellow employees. By designating change agents and super users,

employees who have mastered new skills can share their knowledge about new systems,

tools and processes and assist other employees through similar transitions. User groups and

forums allow peers to share lessons learned and provide an ongoing education process to

complement what is learned in training. User groups and forums also capitalize on experiential

learning, which is very effective for adult learners.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Developing a solid knowledge foundation for a change requires a combination of activities

that enable a person to learn in a way that is most effective for them. These activities should

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include formal training and education programs, job aids available to employees as they are

applying knowledge back on the job, one-on-one coaching from supervisors or subject matter

experts, and effective peer mentoring from user groups and forums. Using these techniques

together ensures that employees develop and apply their knowledge and are supported

throughout the change process.

Without the holistic lens of the Prosci ADKAR Model, teams can easily fall into the trap

of simply sending employees to training when a change is being introduced. This rarely

drives successful change. And worse, it can often have negative and lasting impacts on the

employees that must bring a change to life in their day-to-day work.

Training is critical, but training by itself is not the answer. To be effective, training must occur

in the context of all five milestones of individual change –offered only once an individual

understands why a change is happening, wants to engage in the change process, and is

seeking knowledge to help them be successful. Knowledge-building is an ongoing process.

It must extend beyond formal training events in the form of coaching, mentors, aids and

additional support. Any conflicting demands that prevent an employee from fully engaging

in training and building knowledge will reduce the success of the knowledge outcome. Be

deliberate and provide sufficient time for learning and mastering new skills.

NEXT STEPS

An assumption made by many is that knowledge automatically leads to ability. This is especially

evident in cases where training is used as the primary change management tool or activity. It

is a mistake to think that there is not a difference between having the knowledge of how to do
something and being able to succeed at doing it.

While knowledge represents the cognitive understanding of specific information about

© Prosci Inc. All rights reserved. www.prosci.com 12

the change, as well as an intellectual understanding about how to change, ability is the

demonstrated capability to implement the change.

In Ability: How to Foster Ability to Implement a Change, we look at the transformation of

knowledge into action to achieve desired performance within the organization. We will explore

the best practices for transferring knowledge into ability.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Gain the knowledge, skills and tools to drive successful change initiatives. This three-

day experiential learning program teaches you to apply a holistic change management

methodology and toolset, including the Prosci ADKAR Model, to a real project.

LEARN MORE

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solutions@prosci.com
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